Peer Educator - HIV/AIDS

Canadian Crossroads International is an international volunteer cooperation agency that brings together citizens and organizations in Canada and developing countries in order to reduce poverty, combat HIV/AIDS and promote women's rights. With almost 50 years of experience, CCI works to create a more equitable and sustainable world by engaging and strengthening individuals, organizations and communities through mutual learning, solidarity and collective action. The foundation of our work is the development of long- term partnerships between like-minded organizations in Canada and in the South. Within the framework of these three-way partnerships (CCI, Southern organization and Canadian organization), we carry out activities to build partnership, develop organizational capacity and engage the public - with volunteer exchange (North-South, South-North and South-South) being the primary means to achieve our goals. We believe the engagement of the Canadian public is an essential element of this approach and work in this respect with organizations and individuals throughout Canada.

The AIDS Information and Support Centre (TASC), a Swazi not-for-profit,
non-governmental organization, was formed in 1992 in response to the increasing
incidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. The TASC mission is to decrease the
incidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland and to promote and strengthen the support
services to individuals and families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
In 2003 Canadian Crossroads International facilitated the development of a
partnership with AIDS Saint John, SIDA/AIDS Moncton and TASC. The objective of
this partnership is to increase TASC's capacity to achieve its mission, that
is, build its ability to increase the scope, impact and efficiency of its
development initiatives.

One area where this project has had a positive impact is TASC's youth peer
education program for the prevention of HIV/AIDS in rural Swaziland. This
project activity was supported by the Canadian partner organizations through
research and curriculum development and is now in the second year of delivery
by IYIP interns to Swazi youth associations living in rural areas.

In Canada
The intern will spend an initial four-week period with the Canadian partner
organizations. The first two weeks will be with AIDS Saint John where the
intern will be introduced to the dynamics of partnership, HIV/AIDS issues in
Canada, and will develop an understanding of AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs)
in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada.
The second initial two-week period will be spent with SIDA/AIDS Moncton.
The intern will be engaged in attending and participating in outreach programs,
particularly with respect to the partnership. The intention is to introduce the
intern to the community and to develop a greater sense of partnership
activities and the role of public engagement within the partnership.
Upon returning to Canada, the intern will be involved in public engagement
activities with both New Brunswick ASOs. The intern will be expected to lead
public discussions on the issue of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland in schools,
universities, church groups and other community- based organizations such as
the Rotary Club. The intern will also be expected to assist the partnership in
monitoring and evaluation of the youth peer education activity.

Overseas
This internship is the continuation of two previous internships and
therefore will build on this previous experience.
1. the intern will update the peer education curriculum with resources from
the northern partners as well as resources within Swaziland;
2. the intern will and review and update, if necessary, the monitoring and
evaluation system for this activity;
3. in collaboration with TASC staff, the intern will identify two
appropriate rural communities with functioning youth associations;
4. the intern will train youth in the identified communities in HIV/AIDS
peer-education programming using the updated curriculum;
5. the intern will continually monitor and evaluate the training and submit
appropriate reports to TASC and CCI.

Organisation d'accueil :

The Aids Information and Support Centre

Détails au sujet de l'organisation d'accueil :

The mission of TASC is to decrease the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland and to promote and strengthen support services to individuals and families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

TASC's vision and operational strategy is to make HIV/AIDS information, counseling and testing services accessible, affordable and easy to reach by the general populace.

TASC's focus is to enhance the skills performance of health care professionals, community-based counselors, educators, women and youth and other disciplines in the management and support of PLWH/A and their families.